Murray says more needs to be done to protect players (Picture: Getty Images)

Andy Murray fears the Australian Open are risking lives after players endured searing heat in Melbourne.

Temperatures peaked at 42.2C at 5.45pm, just after Murray began his first-round match, in which he outclassed Japan’s world No.112 Go Soeda 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 in less than 90 minutes.

While the pair were fortunate to play in shade on one of the stadium courts, elsewhere Canadian player Frank Dancevic and a ball boy collapsed on court, while China’s Peng Shuai vomited during her defeat to Kurumi Nara.

Dancevic labelled the conditions ‘inhumane’, adding: ‘Being out there for a set and a half and passing out with heatstroke is not normal. Until somebody dies, they just keep going on with it and putting matches on in this heat.’

Frank Dancevic of lies on the court after collapsing (Picture: AP)

Murray said: ‘It looks terrible for the sport when people are collapsing.

‘There have been issues in other sports with players having heart attacks. In this heat, you’re pushing it to your limits. You don’t want to see anything bad happen to anyone.’